Nautilus

New Zealand!

 Beautiful isn't it!!!!!

No I haven't been there yet but very much hope to one day!!!!

My great niece lives in Nelson and she got married on 3rd September.   I had lots of ideas for a wedding present but not very practical ones on assessing the cost of postage and possible breakages.

I therefore turned to crochet which travels well,won't break and if not too big doesn't cost too much to post.

Nautilus table runner

 

 I call it Nautilus ...because it reminds me of the sea, of that type of shell and of the Mediterranean.
 It's big, 22" x 22" and would suit a large table or sideboard but on sending my great niece these photos she says she likes it so much she is going to have it framed.
I think that is a great idea!!!    What do you think????

I purchased the pattern which is called Fractal from Ravelry here and the pattern is designed by Essi Varis.
 I used a 2.00 hook and mercerized cotton,from Katia called Jaipur. I love the exotic name!!

Wonderful yarn and wonderful blends of colours!

I have to add I am super happy with the results.  It is on its way to New Zealand now :-)

keep well

 

Amanda :-)

August is for catching up.

Finally finished!!!  
Painters have come and gone!!!  Cleaning up finished too!!! phew..... too hot for cleaning.

I think I started this shawl about six months ago.


 


It was meant to have been a gift for my Cookie baby's grandmother ( my counterpart) who lives in Florida. However as it grew and as it got nearer to the date that my daughter and grand-daughter were going on their holiday to Florida (that was April) I began to have doubts about it and whether it would be the right sort of gift  and I turned to this instead and put the shawl to one side.

Blocking was rather awkward as my largest space available is the spare bed. As you can see I had to go down the sides too.







I actually ran out of thread so I had to forgo the last row (little trebols). I think it still looks nice.

I used a 4.00 hook and a new thread I had never used before but I will certainly use again!


It is a 3 ply cotton thread and a delight to work with.

The end results modeled by Cookie baby (aka Rebecca)

 



 I am off now to enjoy my holiday delights.....cleaning my oven....and then the pool and in that order.

keep well!!!

Amanda :-)

Autumn

Do you know Babbacombe in Devon?

Well I have family there. Although I am a Somerset girl mother came from Devon so I spent a lot of time in Devon during the school holidays. My Gran lived in Brixham so there were times I visited Brixham with my Mother.Later on my mother returned to live in Brixham and Paignton. At one time I even worked in Paignton.
It is a beautiful part of the English countryside. The national park of Dartmoor is wonderful the times I've been there and the cream teas......unbelievably marvellous!
Badger's Holt is the place to go to on Dartmoor for cream tea(clotted cream and scones)....scones made the old way!!!

As I said I still have family there, my niece to be exact and now she is expecting her second child;a little boy!  An Autumn baby!
When she was expecting her first child I made and sent her this. 
I have made the following for her second baby and I must say I enjoyed making it much more than the first baby blanket I made for her.

I used Katia Planet Aran

and a size 5.00 hook.








I think I should mention that it was mostly my own creation except for the edging. I used a V stitch throughout except for that edging.

That edging caught my eye straight away!  I was determined to use it as soon as I saw it on b.hookedcrochet's blog. It is called a wave edging and there is a free pattern for the whole afghan (not like mine I just used the edging stitch);  a written pattern and an easy video clip tutorial on that page.

As there was yarn left over I made these dinky shoes for baby too. I loved making these shoes and I think I shall make up another pair in blue. I got the pattern from WoolyWonders. She gives you an extremely easy and clear video tutorial to watch.
The pom poms were my idea !   :-)

Hope you are having a great weekend

keep well

Amanda :-)

In a place called Alicante in the country of Spain....

Yesterday I had made up my mind to find a slot today to sit down and write a post for my blog. I so miss not being able to post frequently,well..... actually reasonably frequent as it has been quite sometime since I have been a fully active blogger as I used to be.

so.... I have my slot to write NOW ...but you know to be quite frank with you all I don't feel like writing much at this moment as I feel sad......very sad! 

I am sad for the little sweethearts who were brutally torn away from their families yesterday, and all those families who have lost dear ones and for the city of NICE and for France.
I am sad for us too that we live in a world where monsters exist!

Writing this doesn't take the sadness away and I'm going to stop now.
 I think perhaps I just want to say that in a place called Alicante in the country of Spain there is someone who cares and feels their pain.

     This should not be!!!!

Big sigh!

So hard to keep up with anything other than work and all the extras:end of course reports,exams and correction.  At least I do have work so I really should not winge!!!

I have finally managed to finish a shawl for me!!!
If you read my ME ME post around about Easter that shawl I made was also for me but it got sent to my sister in Lincolnshire ...why....well I am sure you know how these things happen sometimes !! :-)

This one is definitely for me!!

Spring-summery colours




Blocking.





just right for early morning starts when it is still chilly


and can be draped over the back of a chair in class when not needed.

My own pattern ....pretty straight forward with tassels.    Nº 4.00 hook and Katia Baby Merino Fingering yarn. I also added a row here and there of a white Red Heart yarn which had a touch of sparkle. I don't know the name of that yarn just some leftovers.   

It's nice and light perfect for spring.



Keep well


Amanda :-)

It is a good day

Happy Mother's day !!!!

to all the Mothers out there who celebrate Mother's Day today as they do in this part of the world!

“In a child's eyes, a mother is a goddess. She can be glorious or terrible, benevolent or filled with wrath, but she commands love either way. I am convinced that this is the greatest power in the universe.” 

N.K. Jemisin

Beautiful !!!!
.....and the wonderful thing about a mother's love is that it is the same worldwide. There are no barriers whatsoever; it makes no difference your position in life,age ,race or beliefs as WE ARE united in this sentiment  !!!!!

As one mother to another,another and another ....my love goes out to you all and ...... we will endure through thick and thin .

****************************************************

Plans for today!!!!

I am out of here to enjoy the beautiful blue sky and Spring sunshine!!!  :-)

Amanda :-)  xxx 

Traditions...old...old traditions!

Putting my hometown on the map!
I've heard people say Minehead in West Somerset is in the back of beyond,nothing there,rural,small and it's behind the times ect...ect...    Which I certainly disagree with but ... THEY can say what they like!!!
However there is no getting away from the fact that Minehead is beautiful!

The Gateway to Exmoor park!!

 






 




 

 I'd jump at the chance to buy a little cottage there!

Right so what has bought about these poignant thoughts of home ...there is a reason!

 I shall be giving another Public talk at the Business College at the end of this month and this time I have chosen to  focus on   "Familiarity with English Culture and Traditions is imperative in English Language Learning" as the topic of the talk and being a Somerset gal from Minehead I am going to talk about a very old May tradition which takes place in my hometown.
The Hobby Horse... or as we say in the West Country dialect "obby oss" .

 

"HAIL TO THE ANCIENT KING OF MAY"

I believe there are just two places left in the British Isles where this tradition still continues, Minehead and Padstow in Cornwall. I have been doing my homework these last few months and the deeper I delved into this tradition the more interesting I found it. 

Do you know Minehead has been welcoming the King of May (The Hobby Horse) since the 9th century! The origin of the Hobby Horse is somewhat blurry but it seems it goes back to some jolly celebrations after a victory,that of scaring away some rather nasty Vikings who had their eyes on plunder! 

There is more of course but I'll leave you this link so you can read all about it

The Hobby Horse

Amanda :-)

Reluctant model

A very very reluctant model! 


Goodness me what a fuss!! It was only for a minute or two so I could have some pics for my blog!!!

The modelling also came with strict conditions..... no showing model's face. The drape of the shawlette wasn't exactly as I wanted it either but I was under duress as model was getting irritable!!!  Tch!!!

A Perle cotton shawlette for cool summer evenings although the colour is much nicer than in these photos.

 I made this shawlette as a little something for my Cookie's American Grandma who lives in Florida and I know it must be hot there so I thought a light mercerized cotton shawlette would be practical for the occasional cool evening.

I bought this pattern from Etsy. It is called the "Rosa-rosae shawl designed by Angéle Lumière .
Although, to some it may look intricate it isn't you just have to be careful (counting continuously) that the flowers coincide with each other and you don't miss a row.  I used a size 4.00 hook and Katia Brisa Nº 53 Light maroon x 4.







The girls(daughter and grand-daughter ) will be off to visit Cookie's American family on Friday so I have managed to get the shawlette finished just on time. It took me three weeks to complete which I didn't think was too long at all considering I crochet at intervals when work allows.





During blocking.

Happy Easter to you all!!!

Amanda :-)

PS: I'm scrolling down...down my blog roll to catch up ...Easter school holidays gives me that bit of extra time.......:-)   Housework can take a run and jump!!!!

Me Me shawl

I certainly finished this on time and that's a fact!!!!  

I wore it yesterday to work at 7:30pm as it was freezing cold out and it wasn't much better either when I finished class at 2:00pm but at least it kept me snugly warm.

Blocking into shape on Thursday

These are the mountains I can see in the distance from my window and it snowed yesterday morning which doesn't mean it snowed here in the city but the icy cold today is telling you it certainly snowed nearby.

Taken from Costa Blanca News

Being Sunday morning lots and lots of Alicantinos will be traipsing off up to the Carresqueta mountain to see the snow. Personally I'll pass on that I shall be off out for our Sunday morning walk somewhere nearby where there is no snow.  As you can see it is a beautiful morning this morning...taken 32 mins ago ... courtesy of https://www.facebook.com/AlicanteCity/?fref=ts

Taken from Santa Barbara Castle. Looking down over the Postiguet Beach and the Port

Back to what I call my Me Me shawl. I have never made myself a shawl!!!   I have started to make one for myself umpteen times but somehow they got given away usually to a member of the family.    I am sure you know what I mean :-)


 

It is big  and cosy!

I think what I really like most about this shawl other than it was very straight forward to make is the edging.  I particularly like it! It stands out!  What do you think? :-)






 This Me Me shawl is really called a Penelope Shawl and was designed by Carolyn Christmas and I downloaded the free pattern from here . I have used Katia Planet yarn which is Aran 10 ply and a 4.00 crochet hook.   It took me about a month to complete. I am sure other crocheters will be able to make it in less time. I can only crochet in my spare time and there never seems much of that.

Enjoy your Sunday!

Amanda  :-)

PS: I did have 229 followers but I see 10 have flittered away. It is a bit baffling but I am inclined to think this is Blogger tidying things up as I have read on several posts that other bloggers have lost followers suddenly in the same way too!

Oh! that wind!

I presume we have seen...and felt the tail end of  Storm Imogen here in Spain because the wind these last few days has been horrendous.

 

 Alicante Carnival had to put up with some destruction such as fallen floats and cancellation of some of the events due to these high winds!
 Anyhow Carnival has been and gone now and I saw little of it due to work. The finale was yesterday with the typical "Burial of the Sardine"  ...yes Sardine as in fish!!         Funny tradition!
It is quite hilarious really what with all the mourners and widows in black (usually Men) wailing as if it were a real funeral. There were a few devils hopping around too and lots of people singing and dancing.

 There is a reason of course for this event,it is a satirical ceremony that simulates a burial (cremation) procession of a sardine. It symbolizes the burying of the past (the end of the carnival) and the beginning of the fasting period.


 I am looking forward to Easter and a few days off . It will be a quiet Easter as Daughter Nº1 and Cookie baby will be off to the States for 10 days to visit my grand-daughter's American grandparents and the rest of her family there.







She is so excited!
I think it must be all of 5 years that she hasn't seen them.

keep well

Amanda :-)